Our dream was in 3 to 5 Years to purchase a 40ft Offshore capable yacht to start our circumnavigation. We had looked at different designs and had come up with a list of must have criteria.

Firstly, it must be roomy, with full head height and not be a slug. Preferably centre cockpit with a hard dodger. Prefering solid glass hull construction, skeg hung rudder and cutter rigged with an easy uncluttered deck to move around. Lastly, heaps of storage and loads of ventilation.

To fit within our time/savings plan we were looking at yachts in the $150 - $180,000 bracket. We figured that we would need to spend another $20 - $40,000 personalising her and bringing it up to current Cat 1. This option would take 3 Years of saving hard, 1 Year of completing any necessary work and 1 Year of local sailing. The other option, was to purchase a yacht of a lesser value, say $60 - $80,000 and do a major refit of say another $60 - $80,000.

Three weeks prior to Christmas 2006 a Reynolds Ocean 40 Hull and Deck was listed on TradeMe for $30,000 ONO. Someone's unfinished project that was sitting on farmland in Drury rapidly deteriorating. We just had to have a look!

It showed signs of potential, having an integral 3/4 keel with skeg hung rudder, solid glass hull with GRP cabin sides and deck. Centre cockpit with hard dodger and cutter rigged. She was filthy inside and out and looked like an awful lot of time and money would be needed to complete her.

So what did we do? We put forward an offer of $20,500 and were successful.

What have we done!!!